


The Swashbucklers

by paranoidangel



Category: The Librarians (TV 2014)
Genre: Gen, Post-Season/Series 01, Swordfighting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-07
Updated: 2015-03-07
Packaged: 2018-03-16 19:30:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3500204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paranoidangel/pseuds/paranoidangel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Flynn gets some sword practice with new opponents.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Swashbucklers

It hadn't escaped Eve's notice that even though the Library was back, Flynn wasn't as happy about it as he could have been. Some of that she could put down to Judson. But some of it was Excalibur, as she discovered when she found him staring mournfully at what she thought was just a gray rock. He didn't give her a chance to ask, so it was only when she went back and saw the card that she realized what had once lived there.

She didn't intend to let the opportunity slip by a second time. So when she saw him pacing   
down the center of the library, book held out in one hand, and sword in the other she put herself in his path and waited. Although her arms were folded, she was poised to run, just in case he didn't look up in time. Being stabbed once was more than enough for one lifetime.

He was focused on the book, making deliberate motions with the sword. Fortunately, he noticed her when he paused to turn the page, with the point of his sword a foot away from her chest. But rather than say anything, he spun around and continued back the other way. Which was odd for someone who wouldn't shut up when she needed him to. She sighed and followed him, staying on his left side, away from the sword's flight.

"What are you doing?" She kept her tone conversational.

His sword traced a figure of eight in the air. "What does it look like I'm doing?"

It looked like he was shadow fighting, from a book, of all things. Although perhaps she should have expected that from a Librarian. "Why the book?"

"Closest I could get to an opponent."

She opened her mouth to point out that there were other people around, but then closed it again. She didn't know how to use a sword - not properly anyway and certainly not up to Flynn's standard. Stone, Cassandra and Jones weren't much better. There was always Jenkins, but she wasn't entirely sure just how good he was. She had been busy dying at the time. And that was even assuming he'd agree, which was unlikely.

However, there was another way - and given the sort of people they tended to meet in this job, being able to fight properly with a sword might be a useful skill to have. "Why not teach me?"

He stopped, then, sword held high, and peered over his shoulder at her. "Me, teach you? I don't know, I'm not a good teacher. I've never taught anyone anything. I was a student for sixteen years, I didn't teach."

"So you'll have picked up a lot about good teaching." When he opened his mouth to complain again she caught hold of his arm. "Try it once and if you're really terrible I'll find someone else to teach me."

Which, in retrospect, had not been the right thing to say at all.

* * *

She wasn't sure if his teaching skills were really that bad or if he was doing it on purpose. At least she'd fought with weapons before, if not swords, so she wasn't completely useless at it without any instructions from Flynn at all. He directed his sword at her, sometimes to the left, sometimes to the right, sometimes high, sometimes low. Once or twice she anticipated correctly and there was a clang as she met his sword with her own.

Mostly, though, she backed away from his attack, taking care to avoid the relics. But it was hard to concentrate on both her surroundings and Flynn. By the time she'd worked out the pattern he was using to attack her with, she was backed up against a bookshelf.

Until now he'd kept his distance, so neither of them were likely to hurt the other. But this time, when she met his thrust with a parry, he stepped closer and rapped her knuckles of her left hand with the flat of his blade. The shock of it forced her hand open, and her sword clattered to the ground. There wasn't enough space for her to pick it up, not with Flynn pointing his sword at her chest. There was a small smile on his face, which she ignored.

"You could at least tell me what I did wrong."

He withdrew his sword and she bent to pick hers up.

"I'll do better than that," he said, "I'll show you. You attack me." He stepped back a few paces and lowered his sword, inviting the attack.

Now she had the pattern down, she repeated it. But he was expecting that, and brought his sword up in an easy motion, pushing hers well clear of himself. She gripped it tighter, determined to hold onto it this time.

"Don't hold it so tight," he said.

She loosened her grip, not complaining now that he was actually telling her something.

"It's all in the wrist," he continued, parrying her attacks easily, then surprising her with a riposte.

She watched his wrist and copied his movements, and at least managed to deflect his next attack toward her arm.

"Good!" He smiled. "Although if this was a real fight you'd be dead by now."

"If this was a real fight..." She parried again and used the space to step closer and kick him in the leg.

"Ow." He grimaced and bent to rub his leg. "What was that for?" He looked up at her, a hurt expression on his face that she knew wasn't from physical pain. She hadn't kicked him that hard, after all.

She shrugged. "If you were beating someone in a real sword fight, would they stick to the rules?"

"No, but this isn't a real fight." He straightened up slowly, giving her a wide berth. "And Cal never beat me up like that. Well, mostly never. Not when we were practicing anyway."

"If you were teaching me properly I wouldn't have to resort to violence." She stepped back and raised her sword. "Are you going to teach me properly?"

He didn't look terribly keen. "You said if I wasn't a good teacher you'd find someone else."

She shook her head. "Not, if you're being deliberately bad."

He sighed, dropped his sword, and turned to stand beside her to demonstrate the proper stance.

* * *

The trouble with teaching, she found, was that although she was learning, it wasn't helping Flynn enough. Despite their lessons he was still looking longingly at that damn stone, every time he passed it. So she had to turn to someone else.

* * *

"I can't imagine why you'd think I was any good." Jenkins turned a page in the thick book open on his desk, but Eve wasn't fooled into thinking he was reading it.

"I saw you at the Loom. Well, heard really. I know you don't remember, but I could tell you knew what you were doing with a sword."

"Oh." he frowned, shut the book and stared at it.

"And Flynn really needs the practice. How would you feel if something happened to him because he was rusty?"

"That's something you should be looking out for." He gave her a pointed look and came out from behind the desk to pick up a scroll from the table across the Annex.

She watched him, not letting him get away that easily. "I can't be everywhere at once. The best way to protect him is to make sure he can protect himself." But she could tell this tactic wasn't working, so she asked, more softly, "Do you really hate sword fighting that much?"

He hesitated, scroll in hand. "No, I don't," he said quietly. "But I am very busy." He went back to the desk and opened the scroll.

She followed him and leaned across the desk. "What if I promised you a whole day of peace to get as much research done as you like?"

He gave her a skeptical look. "You can't promise that."

"I'll take the Librarians out somewhere. All of them." She was sure she could find an excuse. They could all do with drills in something. Even Flynn. Even if she had to drag him.

He relented. "All right. But just once." He put up a finger to make the point.

* * *

Eve watched the fight from between two bookshelves, leaning against one and peering around it.

"I see you fight with a traditional medieval technique," Flynn said, his blade moving quickly, always in the right place when he needed it to be.

"It's working very well," Jenkins said calmly.

"But you're not beating me." Flynn was gradually pushing Jenkins backwards.

"But I am expending less energy. How long can you keep this up?"

Jenkins was hardly seemed to be moving at all and hardly making any effort. Since Flynn looked like he was enjoying himself, Eve didn't care. This fight was more about his well-being than his ability to fight off sword-wielding bad guys. And it was bound to be doing him some good.

"I can do this all day," Flynn replied, backing Jenkins up against a shelf.

That didn't seem to bother Jenkins, who parried a few of Flynn's attacks, before riposting and launching into an attack of his own, pushing Flynn back.

Flynn gave some ground before abruptly turning and running round the bookshelf Eve was leaning against. She stayed where she was, trusting him not to run into her.

Jenkins dropped the point of his sword as he turned, following the sound of Flynn's footsteps. The slap of Flynn's shoes on the floor stopped, shortly before Flynn sneaked out from behind Eve. Despite the sneaking he did let out a "Ha!" which she was going to have to talk to him about later.

Jenkins merely waited for Flynn to come to him. And when he did, they resumed their fight, Flynn looking a little disappointed his trick hadn't had any effect.

To Eve's untrained eye they looked evenly matched, although Flynn's movements were slowing.

"There's something you don't know." Flynn blocked upwards, letting go of his sword and catching it in his left hand. "I'm not right handed."

"Yes, you are." Jenkins proved that by going on the offensive again. Flynn's defense was definitely not as smooth now and Jenkins was gaining ground. "And I've seen The Princess Bride."

Flynn jumped back to give himself space to change hands again. "Interesting movie," he said, glancing over at Eve. Eve thought he should be concentrating on Jenkins, but didn't get a chance to get a word in. "Most of the movie is from a book read to a sick boy. But the whole movie is based on a book..." He trailed off because he hadn't been paying enough attention and now Jenkins' blade was pointed at Flynn's throat.

"Less talk, more action, Librarian." Eve gave Flynn a fond look, despite her words.

Jenkins smiled and stepped away to hand his sword back to Eve. "One day of peace and quiet," he reminded her.

She nodded. "Of course." She let him take two steps before adding, "I don't suppose I can convince you to do this again sometime?" She ignored Flynn's aggrieved look.

Jenkins chuckled and glanced back at her. "Perhaps you might be able to. But why don't you ask Charlene instead?"

She was taken aback by that piece of news. "Charlene knows how to sword fight?"

He grinned and left.

* * *

"So I wondered if you'd be willing to practice with Flynn," Eve finished.

"I'd love to." Charlene smiled at her from across the desk in her new office.

That was easier than expected.

* * *

This time Eve kept her distance, not wanting to distract either of them. The shelves were strong enough to climb up - something she'd discovered when she found Flynn doing it to reach for a book on the top shelf. She perched on the top of the bookcase, which gave her a good view. As they fought, she thought Flynn and Charlene's styles were more alike than Flynn and Jenkins' had been.

"You were taught by Excalibur," said Flynn, coming to that realization himself.

"I've practiced with Excalibur," Charlene corrected. "I'm a little rusty." But she was keeping up with all of Flynn's movements, their swords meeting each other like a well-practiced dance.

"No, no, this is great. It's almost like he's..." His movements stuttered and Charlene nearly hit him twice before he was back up to speed. "How did I never know you could do this?"

"Because I never told you. And I was busy. Now the Library's anchored here, with Jenkins' back door, I don't have nearly as much to do."

"We're not spending all the budget on plane flights." Flynn laughed. "It's great to be fighting with the same techniques."

"Now, don't get cocky." Charlene took advantage of his inattention to press him back against a table.

Flynn fought her off for a moment, and then jumped onto the table.

"Oh, so that's how it's going to be, is it?" Charlene rapped him across the knee with the flat of her blade.

"Ow." Flynn grimaced, flexing his leg and frowning at her. "What was that for?"

"Being flash." Charlene looked like she might just hit him again, given the opportunity "There's more to sword fighting than looking flash."

"I'm not being flash." He gestured with his arms out.

Charlene hit him across the other knee.

"Ow. Why does everyone go for my legs?" he whined, glancing over at Eve, who grinned at him.

"Because you leave yourself open." Charlene waved her sword higher, threatening other body parts. "I'm only going to practice with you, if you fight properly."

"All right." He ran across the table and jumped down. When Charlene rounded it, he backed off.

Eve couldn't help laughing.

"I can hear you," Flynn said, pointing in her direction, but not taking his eyes off Charlene.

Charlene smiled and leaped forward to resume the fight. "I haven't fought like this since before Judson died."

"You practiced with Judson?" Flynn sounded like the idea had never crossed his mind before.

"Of course. What do you think we did while you were off chasing artifacts?"

Flynn frowned, as he circled her sword and attempted an attack, which she parried. Flynn parried her riposte and their swords ended up circling each other once more. Until Flynn flicked his upwards. It must either have been a hard hit or caught Charlene by surprise, because Charlene's sword flew into the air.

Flynn put out his left hand and caught it, grinning.

Charlene rolled her eyes at him. "Next time I will beat you."

"Next time?" Flynn asked.

"Same time next week." She sounded like it was a done deal, although Eve hadn't asked her about doing this more than once.

"Um," Flynn replied, floundering. "Really, I don't know if... I can beat you," he finished, only just quiet enough for them to hear.

"You've spent too much time with Excalibur. It'll do you good to practice with someone else." Charlene shook her head. "If he doesn't teach you properly, you come to me," she added, passing by Eve on her way back to her desk.

Eve grinned at Flynn, who was frowning after Charlene. Mission accomplished: between teaching her and practice with Charlene, Flynn wouldn't have time to miss Excalibur.


End file.
